Lazerous and his friend Jesus!

The friendship between Lazarus and Jesus is a blessing!

‭‭John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

Chronologically, this is the first mention of Lazarus. Even though Christ had interactions with his sisters, Lazarus has yet to come up. The statement "he whom thou lovest" signifies that the loving friendship between Christ and Lazarus began sometime before the events recorded here.  

When Christ hears of His friends sickness, He prophecies the resurrection of Lazarus!

‭‭John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. 

John 11:5 KJV 1900

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

John 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 

Jesus refers directly to Lazerous as His friend, which is the only person Jesus says this of by name.  

‭‭John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

‭‭The love that Christ had for His friend was seen by those in Bethany.

‭‭John 11:33-36 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 

During His last week prior to the cross, Jesus spent much time with His friend. Many came to see them both!

‭‭John 12:1-3 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. ‭ Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 

John 12:9 KJV 1900

Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.